Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-01-14
TrMPERANUE TEXT BOOKS
Adopted by the state Commission FOR the
Public schools.

Public schools.
The State text book commission who
met in this city Friday evening to com
pete their labors in connection with the
selection and distribution among the pub
lie schools of the State of text books tor
instruction in scientific temperance, final
ly adjourned Saturday forenoon. Their
duty consisted not only in the selection of
text books and the makii z of contracts
in behalf of the State for the same, but
also of the formulation of plan for the
systematic distribution Of the books to
ths various schools in the State.
As result of the consideration OF the
various sealed bids for the contract to
furnish the books, submitted some two
weeks since by A. :. Barnes q Co., Clark
* Maynard the National Temperance So
cIety and Publication House, Fowler Il
Wells Co.,. Leach SheWel X SanbOru,
aud \. Lowell x CO., the committee decidcd
To make contracts with y. :. Barnes 4
Co., aud Leach, SheWell x >anburn, who
were represented Respectively by Gen.
Carrlgau and MIR. Sanboln. The Barnes
Company furnish the Pathfinder seIie, IN
books No. and ., the first OF which is en-
titled THE Child's Health rrimer," and
the second "IlY4irnc Tor Ioun4 People,
These are for use in the in the primary
4
The commission also contracted ,yrr
the Barnes company for Steele ; "lIygi"'u.
PHYSIOLOGY" for use in hlyh schools The
commission further adopted for use a.
those schools between those grades which
would naturally use ono. - aud the
high school, Brand Physiology published
by Leach, Shcwell x oHnborn.
The commission caused certain changes
aud reVloiuns to be made in e-Ca of the
books in accordance with the opinions Of
those whom they deemed capable judges
in the matter, and these changes are
thought to meet the charge in the case OF
some of the books that positive in-truC-
ton is given on disputed questions, render
ing them less radical and embudylng a
recognition Of differences of opinion among
&C eutlsts upon the subjects treated.
The changes are for most part in refer
ruCv 10 ue value Of authorities ON the sub
jet ui - cOhOlsm, but IN No. of the PATH
liu 90 series the chapter which treats of
u.cOhOl H. a narcotic and not a s'lmulaut
mas been stricken out
The cost of the books per copy is very
much less than the price hitherto paid
wherever the books have been used in
AIS State. so that the estimate made at
Montpelier on the cost to the state of the
pun chase of these books was much in eN-
cess of the amount actually needed. 1t
Il confidently expected that the tir~t
cost to the state will be between
ST., 600 and $4,000, but not above the latter
sum, and the whole cost tu the state Will
probably not exceed 5000, Tor the five
years, which Is the time provided for 10y
the act for the contracts to run lhe
number of children of school age ia the
state Is 10000 aud of this number 900
attend the public school the commits
slOners have estimated that 10000 of the
| younger children Will depend upon oral
| instruction leaving $4,000 to be supplied
with looks. OF tins number it is esti-
mated THAI 10000 will require 30. 1 of the
| Pathfinder series, 5000 No , ana 5000
Steee's ana Brands physiologies The
contracts call for the distribution
of the books by April / in time for the
spring term and they will be distributed
according TO estimates furnished by the
superintendent throughout the State
based upon the reports of the teachers uu
| der their charge
The commissioners, Hon. w. =. billing
ham, Hon. a. H. Valentine and Col. l.
NJ. Mansur, Wee allowed compensation
Of 50 day for only three days 10y the act
creating the commission, but they decided
to devote SIX days to the work, IN addition
to the time spent by each commissioner al
home i'll examining the books, without ash
| lng lor extra compensation. The act ais,
/ provided that the committee should mee
before the first day of January and Sc
iect at tuat meeting one book OF
grade upon the subject named, auC
then Immediately make contracts witt
publishers AS the time allowed ~uD,e
quent to the passage o1 the act was no
ample tor the issuing OF notices calm.
Tor sealed bids and the thorough eXamiua
ton OF the various text books submitted
Whrn the bids were made the commission
CT decided 10 take the necessary additional
time Tor the thorough DISCHARGE of tAt
> duties laid upon them
The commissioners did not accept the bid
) made by the publishers. but made plopo
ls.ITt I,